Enclosure for the decontamination and identification of a medical apparatus

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an enclosure of the type including a base ( 6 ), at least one side wall ( 7 ) and an upper lid ( 8 ) defining a decontamination volume ( 9 ), wherein one of said side walls ( 7 ) comprises an access opening ( 10 ) to the decontamination volume ( 9 ) extending up to the upper lid ( 8 ), the upper lid ( 8 ) including a cable passage ( 12 ) open towards said opening and a cable suspension member ( 14 ) through said cable passage. The enclosure includes a means ( 18 ) for reading an electronic identification label ( 17 ) provided on a cable ( 5 ) of the medical instrument.

The invention relates to an enclosure of the type that comprises a base,at least one side wall, and a top cover, which delimit a decontaminationspace, wherein one of said at least one side walls comprises an openingextending to the top cover for access to the decontamination space, andthe top cover comprises a cable passage that opens into said opening anda member for suspending a cable through said cable passage.

Enclosures of this type are known, and are used for disinfecting theactive part of a medical probe intended for use with an imaging device,for example.

Disinfection can be done by using UV radiation, by atomizing a liquiddisinfectant in the form of micro-droplets, or by injecting a gasdisinfectant into the decontamination space of the enclosure, forexample.

In such an enclosure, the active part of the probe must be suspended inthe decontamination space in order to obtain the largest possibledisinfection surface. In addition, the cable that joins the active partof the probe to the device with which the probe is used shouldpreferably not be put entirely inside the enclosure, in order to protectthe part of this cable that connects to the imaging device, and tooptionally allow the probe not to be disconnected from the imagingdevice while it is being disinfected. Finally, it is vital to ensurethat the decontamination space is sealed so as to prevent anydisinfectant active principle from leaking out of the enclosure.

In order to make the disinfection of a probe traceable so as to preventany wrongful use of a probe from a hygienic standpoint, it is importantto be able to accurately identify the probe that is being disinfected inthe enclosure. In order to provide such identification, the use ofRFID-type electronic identification labels is known.

However, in an environment where many probes are present, e.g., if theenclosure is attached to an imaging device and multiple probes areplugged into this device, an RFID reader may possibly identify a probeplaced nearby rather than the probe being disinfected, which cangenerate serious errors in tracing the disinfection of a probe.

One of the purposes of the invention is to propose a decontaminationenclosure in which the probe in the enclosure can be identified withcertainty.

To this end, the invention relates to a decontamination enclosure of theaforementioned type, wherein the enclosure comprises means for readingan electronic identification label provided on a cable of the medicalinstrument, with said label being placed near the active part of themedical instrument to be disinfected, and said reading means beingarranged so as to be near the identification label when the cable issuspended on the cable suspension member.

The enclosure according to the invention thus makes it possible toensure that the probe inside the enclosure is in fact the one that isidentified.

According to other characteristics of the decontamination enclosure ofthe invention:

-   -   the means for reading an electronic identification label        comprise a short-range RFID reader;    -   the cable passage comprises a slot provided in the top cover;    -   the cover comprises a flap seal that is movable between a closed        position of the cable passage, in which the flap closes the        cable passage hermetically, and an open position of the cable        passage 12;    -   the enclosure comprises a door for closing the access opening to        the decontamination space, with said door arranged so that        closing it brings the mobile flap into the position where it        closes off the cable passage;    -   the suspension member comprises means for orienting the cable,        arranged so as to place the identification label facing the        reading means when the cable is suspended on the cable        suspension member;    -   the cable suspension member comprises a clamp;    -   the cable suspension member comprises a hook;    -   the cable suspension member comprises an open tube that is        hermetically fittable over a portion of the medical instrument        cable, whose diameter is within a range of predetermined        diameters;    -   the suspension member comprises a part for receiving a        suspension part provided on the cable of the medical instrument,        wherein said receiving part and said suspension part form a        fastening assembly comprised of a male part and a female part.

The invention also relates to a system for suspending a medicalinstrument, comprising a portion of cable in a decontamination enclosureas described above, characterized in that it comprises the suspensionpart of the fastening assembly, attached to the portion of the medicalinstrument cable, with said suspension part comprising an electronicidentification label.

The invention also relates to a system for suspending a medicalinstrument, comprising a portion of cable in a decontamination enclosureas described above, characterized in that an electronic identificationlabel is attached inside a projection on the portion of cable, whereinsaid projection is inserted into the cable passage, the cable passagecomprising a recess to accommodate said projection, near which thereading means are located.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description, given as an example and with reference to theannexed figures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a medical imaging device towhich a decontamination enclosure according to the invention isattached, with a probe placed in the enclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the enclosure in FIG. 1, inwhich a probe has been placed.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the medical imaging device inFIG. 1, with the enclosure open.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the open enclosure in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the fastening assembly of theprobe cable and of the enclosure, in the process of being put together.

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view along the line VI-VI in FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 1, we will describe a medical imaging device 1that is operable with a plurality of probes 2 and to which an enclosure3 is attached for decontaminating the active parts 4 of the probes 2.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the decontamination enclosure 3is attached to the imaging device 1. According to other embodiments, theenclosure 3 is independent of the imaging device 1 or is attached toanother medical apparatus.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, three probes 2 are connected tothe imaging device 1. According to other embodiments, a different numberof probes can be provided. The imaging device 1 is known in itself andwill not be described in more detail here. A probe 2 comprises an activepart 4 that must be disinfected before each use and a cable 5 forconnecting to the medical apparatus 1, the connecting part of which mustnot be exposed to the active principle used in the disinfection process.The probe 2 is known in itself and will not be described in more detailhere.

The enclosure 3 comprises a base 6 forming the bottom of the enclosure,at least one side wall 7 forming the body of the enclosure, and a topcover 8. The side wall 7 extends between the base 6 and the top cover soas to delimit a decontamination space 9 in which the active part 4 ofthe probe 2 is placed in order to be disinfected.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the enclosure 3 issubstantially parallelepipedic and comprises four side walls 7.According to other embodiments, the enclosure 3 can be substantiallycylindrical with circular section or otherwise.

The enclosure 3 comprises means (not shown) for diffusing a disinfectantactive principle in the decontamination space 9. These means are, forexample, a source of UV emission, a micro-droplet spray nozzle for aliquid disinfectant, or an injection nozzle for a gas disinfectant. Thediffusion means are arranged so that the active part 4 of the probe 2 isuniformly exposed to the disinfectant active principle.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the wall 7 opposite the imagingdevice comprises an opening 10 that can be closed with a door 11. Thedoor is shown in closed position in FIGS. 1 and 2, and in open positionin FIGS. 3 and 4. The opening 10 has dimensions that are appropriate forinserting the active part 4 of the probe 2. The door 11 is opened sothat the active part 4 of a probe 2 can be placed in the decontaminationspace 9, and then it is closed for disinfection. When the door 11 isclosed, the space 9 is hermetically closed so as to keep thedisinfectant active principle from leaking out of the enclosure 3.

The cover 8 comprises a cable passage 12 that opens into the opening 10so that the probe 2 cable 5 can pass through when the active part 4 isinserted into the decontamination space 9. The cable passage 12comprises a slot provided in the cover 8, extending to a central part ofthe cover 8, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

According to an embodiment shown in the figures, the cover 8additionally comprises a flap seal 13 that is movable between a closedposition (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the cable passage 12 and an open position(FIGS. 3 and 4) of the cable passage 12. The flap 13 closes the cablepassage 12 hermetically when it is in the closed position. This way,when the active part 4 of the probe 2 has been inserted into thedecontamination space 9, the door 11 and the flap 13 are put in theclosed position so as to hermetically isolate the space 9 from theoutside of the enclosure, and allow the active part 4 to be safelydisinfected. According to an embodiment, the door 11 is arranged so thatwhen it closes, it brings the mobile flap 13 into the position where itcloses off the cable passage 12. Thus, all the operator has to do isclose the door 11 for the flap to be automatically placed in closedposition, which prevents handling errors if the operator forgets toactuate the flap 13 after having placed the probe 2 in the enclosure 3.

According to another embodiment not shown, the flap 13 is integral withthe top part of the door 11 and is arranged so as to close the cablepassage 12 hermetically when the door is closed. Such an embodiment isparticularly simple to implement and does not require any means fortransmitting movement between the door 11 and the flap 13, unlike thecase in which the flap 13 is borne by the cover 8.

The cover 8 additionally comprises a member 14 for suspending the cablethrough the cable passage 12. The cable suspension member 14 makes itpossible to keep the probe 2 cable 5 in place so that the active part 4is suspended in a substantially central part of the decontaminationspace 9, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. The active part 4 is therebyprevented from touching the walls 7 of the enclosure 3, ensuring thatthe active part is uniformly exposed to the disinfectant activeprinciple.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the suspension member14 comprises a part 15 for receiving a suspension part 16 provided onthe probe 2 cable 5. The receiving part 15 and the suspension part 16form a fastening assembly comprised of a male part and a female part.According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the male part is thereceiving part 15 and the female part is the suspension part 16.

According to an embodiment, the fastening assembly is arranged so thatthe cable 5 is oriented in a particular way when the suspension part 16is attached onto the receiving part 15. For example, the cable isoriented by screwing the suspension part 16 onto the receiving part 15until an abutting position is reached.

As shown in FIG. 6, the flap 13 and the fastening assembly are arrangedso that the enclosure 3 is hermetically closed when the suspension part16 is attached onto the receiving part 15 and the flap 13 is closed.

According to other embodiments not shown, the suspension member 14comprises a clamp, a hook, or an open tube that can be hermeticallyfitted over a portion of cable 5 whose diameter is within a range ofpredetermined diameters. According to various embodiments, means areprovided for orienting the cable 5, e.g., by indexing or other means, sothat the cable has a predetermined orientation when the active part 4 issuspended in the decontamination space 9.

The probe 2 comprises identification means in the form of an electronicidentification label 17, e.g., an RFID chip. This chip containsinformation on the identity of the probe. The label 17 is attached tothe cable 5, for example, near the suspension member 14 when the activepart 4 of the probe 2 is suspended in the decontamination space 9.According to an embodiment, the label 17 is attached or embedded in thesuspension part 16, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The enclosure comprises means 18 for reading the electronicidentification label, e.g., an RFID-type reader. The reading means 18are arranged so as to be near the identification label 17 when the cable5 is suspended on the cable suspension member 15, so that the readingmeans 18 can read the identification information in the identificationlabel 17. Placing the reading means near the identification label can bemade simpler by the cable 5 orientation means. According to anembodiment, the reading means 18 are provided with the suspension member15 or integrated therewith, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The reading means18 are a short-range RFID reader, for example. This way, the reader canread only the information contained in the identification label attachedto the cable 5 of the probe 2 suspended in the enclosure 2, and not theinformation for nearby probes, such as the other probes shown in FIG. 1.The reading means 18 are connected to the imaging device 1 or to a dataprocessing system, e.g., via a wire connection 19. According to anotherembodiment, the reading means are connected via a wireless connection.

According to another embodiment not shown, the electronic identificationlabel 17 is attached on the inside of a projection of the cable 5, whichis inserted into the cable passage 12. The cable passage 12 comprises arecess to accommodate the projection, near which the reading means 18are placed. A recess is provided, for example, at the end of the slotprovided in the cover 8, into which the projection fits when the cable 5is suspended in the enclosure. The reading means 18 near the recess makeit possible to read the content of the identification label 17 attachedinside the projection. The projection is arranged to fit into the recessin such a way that the enclosure 9 is hermetically closed when theactive part 4 of the probe is inserted into the enclosure.

The identification label 17 of the probe 2 can operate in tandem withmeans (not shown) for measuring disinfection characteristics in order tomake the disinfection of the probe traceable. For example, means can beprovided for measuring the intensity of the UV radiation and the lengthof time the active part 4 is exposed to this radiation, if UVdisinfection is used. This information can be recorded in theidentification label of the probe or in the imaging device 1 with theidentity of the probe 2. In this way, the probe identificationinformation is paired with the disinfection information for this probeso as to make the disinfection process traceable.

According to an embodiment, the imaging device 1 is set up so that itwill not operate with a probe that has not been disinfected or has beeninadequately disinfected.

1. Decontamination enclosure for medical instruments, comprising a base,at least one side wall, and a top cover, which delimit a decontaminationspace, wherein one of said at least one side walls comprises an openingextending to the top cover for access to the decontamination space, andthe top cover comprises a cable passage that extends from a central partof the top cover and opens into said opening and a cable suspensionmember, said enclosure further comprising means for reading anelectronic identification label provided on a cable of the medicalinstrument, with said label being placed near the active part of themedical instrument to be disinfected, and said reading means beingarranged so as to be near the identification label when the cable issuspended on the cable suspension member.
 2. Enclosure according toclaim 1, wherein the means for reading an electronic identificationlabel comprise a short-range RFID reader.
 3. Enclosure according toclaim 1, wherein the cable passage comprises a slot provided in the topcover.
 4. Enclosure according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises aflap seal that is movable between a closed position of the cablepassage, in which the flap closes the cable passage hermetically, and anopen position of the cable passage.
 5. Enclosure according to claim 4,which comprises a door for closing the access opening to thedecontamination space, with said door arranged so that closing it bringsthe mobile flap into the position where it closes off the cable passage.6. Enclosure according to claim 1, wherein the cable suspension membercomprises means for orienting the cable, arranged so as to place theidentification label facing the reading means when the cable issuspended on the cable suspension member.
 7. Enclosure according toclaim 1, wherein the cable suspension member comprises a clamp. 8.Enclosure according to claim 1, wherein the cable suspension membercomprises a hook.
 9. Enclosure according to claim 1, wherein the cablesuspension member comprises an open tube that is hermetically finableover a portion of the medical instrument cable, whose diameter is withina range of predetermined diameters.
 10. Enclosure according to claim 1,wherein the suspension member comprises a part for receiving asuspension part provided on the cable of the medical instrument, whereinsaid receiving part and said suspension part form a fastening assemblycomprised of a male part and a female part.
 11. System for suspending amedical instrument, comprising a portion of cable in a decontaminationenclosure according to claim 10, wherein said system comprises thesuspension part of the fastening assembly, attached to the portion ofthe medical instrument cable, with said suspension part comprising anelectronic identification label.
 12. System for suspending a medicalinstrument, comprising a portion of cable in a decontamination enclosureaccording to claim 1, wherein an electronic identification label isattached inside a projection on the portion of cable, wherein saidprojection is inserted into the cable passage, the cable passagecomprising a recess to accommodate said projection, near which thereading means are located.